RAF air strikes in Iraq extended by one more year through 2017

Lauren Fedor is the chief reporter at City A.M., covering politics, banking and financial regulation.

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Lauren Fedor

BRITISH fighter planes will continue to carry out air strikes against Islamic State (Isil) in Iraq until March 2017, the defence secretary has announced.

Speaking in Baghdad yesterday, Michael Fallon said that the front­line RAF Tornado Squadron would continue its work in Iraq for nearly another year and a half.

Eight Tornado GR4 jets currently fly daily missions over Iraq as part of co-ordinated efforts with the counter-Isil international coalition.

According to the ministry of defence, the Tornado strikes, along with the RAF’s Reaper drones, have flown more than 1,100 combat missions over Iraq, carrying out at least 250 air strikes. “Isil terrorists pose a threat the security of Iraq, Syria, the wider region and to the streets of Britain,” Fallon said.

“It is therefore our duty to ensure that the UK continues to play its part to defeat this barbaric regime.”